SILVERSTONE, U.K. -- Sebastian Vettel is confident he will be able to race unimpaired at the British Grand Prix despite suffering a neck strain ahead of qualifying on Saturday.

Vettel secured second place on Sunday's grid -- 0.44s off Lewis Hamilton on pole position -- after one of the closest qualifying sessions at Silverstone in recent memory. His preparations in final practice were cut short when he strained muscles during a qualifying simulation run in the morning, but he said the injury was brought under control in time for qualifying itself.

"It wasn't the most enjoyable session but I did the session so it was fine," he said. "We had to call it a bit earlier this morning [in practice] than I wanted and it was fine in qualifying.

"I don't know what happened but it went stiff and then we loosened it up. For tomorrow, I think the night will help so I'm not worried.

"Also the speed tomorrow is less than in qualifying because you have more fuel and you will be a bit slower so it's going to be OK."

Ferrari confirmed after qualifying Vettel suffered a crick in the neck but it doesn't know why it occurred.

Vettel hasn't started from pole position at Silverstone since 2010. Martin Rickett/PA Images via Getty Images

Vettel held provisional pole position after his first attempt in Q3 but when Hamilton beat him on his second run, he was unable to improve on his second Q3 lap

"Obviously I was pretty happy with the first run in Q3 and then we had a little bit more in sector three and bits around the track, which I think I got right on the second attempt, but I seemed to lose a little bit down the straights.

"I'm not sure why, but I think more or less I had two laps that were identical. Half a tenth isn't always out there for you to find somewhere. So I think he [Hamilton] was just a little bit better on the final run, but for tomorrow I think we should be fine."